Flu Impact: It's the Time of the Year

Influenza or Flu is a highly contagious respiratory viral infection caused by type A or B influenza viruses. People tend to mistakenly compare flu with common colds, but influenza causes serious complications that can sometimes lead to death.

Every flu season is different and affects people differently. The infection spreads in the lungs, the throat, and the nose. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), millions of people worldwide get flu every year, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalizes, and thousands of people die from flu-related causes annually.

How it spreads

Flu can spread from person to person 24 hours before symptoms starts until a week after the onset of symptoms

• By saliva

• By touching a contaminated surface

  • Hands
  • Remote controls
  • Phones
  • Keyboards
  • Door handles

• By airborne respiratory droplets

  • Dry cough
  • Sneezing

Vaccination

Being vaccinated provides protection against flu, builds immunity to the virus, and prevents viral transmission. Immunization is especially recommended for:

• Children aged 6 months to less than 5 years of age
• Pregnant women during any trimester
• 65 years of age and older
• Indigenous people aged 15 years old and over
• Immunocompromised patients
• Healthcare providers or people who provide essential community service

Keep in mind that vaccination is required to be done annually, as immunity decreases over time. Virus strains also change yearly which change available commercially-made vaccines to support the strain.

Vaccines available commercially does not contain live flu viruses and cannot cause the disease. These vaccines work through developing antibodies in the body, two weeks after vaccination. These antibodies provide protection and immunity against the virus.

It's the time of the year! get vaccinated through your personal doctor, local immunization provider, and community pharmacies that offers immunization against flu for adults.

Reference/s:

1. Queensland Government (2018, September 26). Influenza. Retrieved from http://conditions.health.qld.gov.au/HealthCondition/condition/14/217/82/Influenza-The-Flu
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease (NCIRD) (2018, September 6). Key facts about seasonal flu vaccine. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm
3. National Vaccine Information Center (n.d.). What is influenza? Retrieved from https://www.nvic.org/vaccines-and-diseases/influenza/what-is.aspx

About Influenza

Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. Serious complications of flu can lead to hospitalization or even death. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/index.html

About Tide Motion Bioreactors

Tide Motion pertains to the gentle oscillation of culture medium into and out of the matrix vessel that intermittently exposes the cells to aeration and nutrition. The upward oscillation exposes the cells to nutrition, while the downward oscillation exposes the cells to aeration. At the same time, this process washes away products and wastes. This oscillation produces no air bubbles and low shear stress. View a range of products at http://www.vaccixcell.com/tide-technology/

About Esco VacciXcell

Esco VacciXcell is the bioprocessing division of Esco Group of Companies that specializes in the marketing and manufacturing of bioprocessing equipment for cell culture.

Esco VacciXcell provides turnkey manufacturing solutions using its proprietary Tide Motion™ technology to help developing nations to be self-sufficient in the manufacturing, storing, distribution, and administration of vaccines and other biologics, thus providing a complete solution from Discovery to Delivery. For more information on VacciXcell, please visit www.vaccixcell.com